Film industry VP Johnson enters B.C. election race in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky

West Vancouver independent candidate joins four others

Photo submittedINDEPENDENT CHOICE Jon Johnson, a West Vancouver independent, is the final person to declare himself as a wannabe MLA representing West Vancouver-Sea to Sky in the Victoria legislature.

Jon Johnson hopes May 14's provincial Election Day will be independent's day in this riding.

The West Vancouver independent is the final person to declare himself as a wannabe MLA representing West Vancouver-Sea to Sky in the Victoria legislature.

Johnson, the vice-president and general manager of the Vancouver office of Clairmont Camera Film & Digital, which specializes in high-end digital and film motion picture cameras, said he was not specifically running because of concerns about the struggling B.C. film industry.

"I'm running because of the lack of choice. I was talking about the issues with residents when I was going door to door to collect my signatures (candidates need 75 signatures in order to run) and I kept encountering people giving me their views that no one really represented them," he said.

When asked about his political leanings, Johnson described himself as a "truly independent" representative who would listen to the voters.

Johnson said he would recommend that all constituents watch the recently released documentary Whipped by B.C. political journalist Sean Holman to get an idea of how the mainstream political parties force MLAs to toe the party line (The film's trailer can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/64337555).

"I wish I could show that to everyone and make Whipped required viewing," he said, adding that it went to the heart of what he thinks is wrong with party politics.

Johnson joined Liberal Jordan Sturdy, New Democrat Ana Santos, Ian McLeod of the BC Conservative Party and Richard Warrington with the Green Party of BC in the election campaign.

He missed the first all-candidates meeting, which took place in the Kay Meek Theatre on West Vancouver on April 28, and wasn't sure he would make all the others but hoped to.

At the West Vancouver debate, the four other candidates sparred in front of 100 people on environmental issues like the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the proposed liquid natural gas plant for Howe Sound in the District of Squamish, salmon farms, who was best to run the B.C. economy, provincial debt, employment and business, youth engagement and more.

The next all-candidates meeting takes place at the Pemberton Community Centre on Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m.

The candidates will also meet in Squamish on Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. in the Eagle Eye Theatre at Howe Sound Secondary School.

This is followed by a candidates' meeting at Whistler Library at 7 p.m. May 6 in Whistler.

The final debate will be at Lions Bay on May 9.

Early voting will be available from May 8 to 11 throughout the riding, open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. Advance polling stations will be set up at Pemberton Community Centre, the Whistler Conference Centre and at the Brennan Park Recreation Centre in Squamish. Early voting in West Vancouver takes place at the Gleneagles Community Centre.

Voters can register to vote or update voter registration information at the polling stations. General election day is set for Tuesday, May 14. More election information is available at www.elections.bc.ca or by calling 1-800-661-8683.

To read more about Johnson's candidacy and about the first all-candidates debate read Pique on Thursday, May 2 or visit www.piquenewsmagazine.com.